Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.5%. Black colour, ruby in the highlights, big beige head. Nice aroma of mild coffee, chocolate and vanilla. The flavour is moderately roasty with notes of chocolate, mild coffee, vanilla and oak, hints of caramel and liquorice. Medium sweet, moderate bitterness. Far from the heaviest imperial stout I’ve had, but nice and drinkable.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

750 ml bottle, kindly shared by my beerpal Christian. ABV is 13%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. Strong aroma of tar, old rope, coffee, leather and dark malts. Roasty flavour, intense notes of coffee, roasted barley and loads of hops. A truly impressive beer!

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Bottled, as Deschutes The Abyss Reserve 2009, kindly shared by gunnar. Pitch black colour, excellent brown head. Lovely and complex aroma of dark malts, chocolate, coffee, tobacco, liquorice and leather, also some oaky and vinous notes. The flavour has notes of heavily roasted malts, balanced by a suitable sweetness, coffee and liquorice, hints of sandalwood. Superb!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Bottle, 2009 vintage, kindly shared by gunnar. Black colour, hardly any head. Aroma of heavily roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee and liquorice. Intense flavour of roasted malts, coffee and liquorice.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, as Green Flash Stout (Double Stout), courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.8%. Pitch black colour, big brown head. Nice aroma of roasted malts, coffee and chocolate. Rich malty flavour with roasty notes, strong coffee and dark bitter chocolate, maybe a hint of liquorice too. Bitter aftertaste. The alcohol is well hidden.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

650 ml bottle, as Southern Tier Imperial Crème Brûlée Stout, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.0%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. Intense aroma of crème brûlée and vanilla from the moment you open the bottle, amazing! The smell includes caramel, of course - but also chocolate and mild coffee. The sweet flavour is first and foremost crème brûlée again, but also roasty notes of strong coffee, dark bitter chocolate and liquorice. Also some hoppy bitterness in the finish. Warming mouthfeel. An incredible dessert beer!

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar and importer HaandBryggeriet. ABV is 13%. Pitch black colour, big brown head. The aroma is first woody and dusty, followed by roasty notes of coffee and dark chocolate. Very rich mouthfeel. The flavour has loads of malty sweetness and roastiness, woody notes, also notes of brown sugar, dark bitter chocolate and coffee, bitter hops in the finish. Woody aftertaste.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

330 ml capped and waxed bottle, brewed 7th Nov. 2009, bottled 6th Dec. 2009. Bottle No. 190 (of 1284 from this batch). OG 1115, FG 1031. EBC colour 308.9. EBU 99.9. ABV is 10.2%. Declared good for 25 years if kept cool and dark - feels like a sort of sacrilege to drink it now ... Pitch black colour, big and lasting brown head. Lovely roasty aroma, distinct notes of coffee and dark bitter chocolate. The flavour has an intense roasted character, notes of coffee and dark bitter chocolate again, also hints of liquorice, molasses and dark dried fruits. Bitter hops in the finish. Brilliant stuff.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

330 ml bottle, unfiltered and unpasteurised, at Universitetsbaren, Aarhus. ABV was 7.6%. Served in a Hoegaarden Grand Cru glass. Black colour, big to moderate brown head. The aroma is first fairly fruity for an impy stout, notes of prunes. Also roasty with notes of coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice, hints of tar and smoke. The flavour is roasty with notes of coffee and liquorice. Tar and smoke in the finish. Distinct bitterness, but not extreme for an impy stout. Smoke, coffee and bitter hops in the long aftertaste.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

250 ml(?) bottles, courtesy of the brewery, on a couple of occasions. Pitch black colour, moderate to low tan head. Nice aroma of sweet malts, sweetened coffee, dark dried fruits and oak. Alcohol is noticeable. The flavour is very roasty, very malty and rich, and very sweet - but not too sweet, after all. This is a real treat for any beer lover with a "sweet tooth".

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

180 ml green bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.5%. Bottle No. 169 out of a batch of 1416 bottles. Brewed 8th March 2010. OG 1098, FG 1028. Czech hops, bittering hop: Premiant, aroma hop: Saaz. Recommended serving temperature 10 degrees C. Black (= very dark brown) colour, big and lasting fluffy beige head. Strong aroma of coffee, hints of dry wood. The flavour has also strong notes of coffee, with a roasty and hoppy bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. Quite dry, just a slight acidity. Good, but not brilliant.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Also sampled bottled, but the bottle lacked carbonation, so my rating is for the tap version. Black (= very dark brown) colour, moderate tan head. Very nice aroma and flavour with roasty notes, coffee, dark chocolate and liquorice - also some vinous notes with hints of oak and dark dried fruits. Jolly good stuff!

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Cask conditioned at Blackfriars, Glasgow, as Paradox Edition #2 Grain Whisky. Black colour, ruby in the highlights. Very nice aroma of woodwork. Roasty, fiery and alcoholic flavour with strong woody notes. Notes of vanilla too.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

330 ml bottle, batch 016, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10%. Black colour, big brown head. Moderately roasty and oaky aroma with strong notes of vanilla and freshly baked buns, also hints of liquorice, chocolate and dark died fruits. The flavour has strong roasty coffee notes, also distinct notes of peat smoke / malt whisky. Hints of English liquorice, bitter hops in the finish. Awesome beer!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 18.2%. Pitch black colour, big brown head. Strong aroma of oak, molasses, roasted malts, sweetened strong coffee, dark dried fruits and alcohol. The flavour is sweet, malty and roasty, notes of burnt caramel and molasses, the alcohol is very noticeable. A moderate hoppy bitterness in the finish. A bit too far out on the sweet side, I’m afraid - but definitely worth sampling.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 7

330 ml bottle, at the Bon Accord, Glasgow. Black colour, ruby in the highlights. Large and lasting creamy head. Very strong aroma of tar and peat. Extremely peaty and tarry flavour, just too much of the good stuff.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask conditioned at Blackfriars, Glasgow, as Paradox Edition #2 Grain Whisky. Black colour, ruby in the highlights. Very nice aroma of woodwork. Roasty, fiery and alcoholic flavour with strong woody notes. Notes of vanilla too.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cask conditioned at Blackfriars, Glasgow, incorrectly(?) labeled as "Brewdog Paradox Glen Moray Edition #3". Weighs in at 10% ABV - not quite your average pint at the pub! Black colour, ruby in the highlights. Very nice vinous aroma with strong oaky notes. Very oaky flavour, roasty and relatively sweet. Salty finish.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Bottle, RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Dark brown colour. Extremely woody aroma, seems a bit unbalanced. The flavour is also very woody with coffee notes, alcoholic. No match for Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad. ABV was 11.03%. Black colour. Sweetish and sickly aroma of molasses, malt syrup, ?, spices and tar. Intensely sweet and tarry flavour with a substantial bitterness. Overkill.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad. Pitch black colour. Intense but pleasant roasty aroma and flavour, notes of leather and tar. Strong and powerful, but carries its strength well.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Sampled bottle, RBNAG 2007 in Grimstad. Black colour. Intense aroma of sweet malts, roasted barley, leather, liquorice and oak. Very sweet, alcoholic and roasty flavour with notes of molasses. Interesting, but overdone.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brewed 15.2.2007, BB date 15.2.2009. ABV is 7.5%. Black beer, huge chocolate brown coloured head. Lovely aroma of coffee, chocolate and roasted malts / roasted barley. Also notes of woodwork, tobacco and tar. The flavour abounds with coffee (maybe too much?), the finish is very bitter (both from the coffee that has been added to the beer, the roasted barley and the hops). The mouthfeel is still relatively smooth. With all the dominant coffee and bitterness, this is not a stout of the "easy drinking" kind, but a beer to savour and sip slowly, be it for breakfast or any time of the day or night.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Bottle, courtesy of gunnfryd, who supplied it to our tasting. The ABV was 9.0%. Served at room temperature - I would prefer it just a little cooler, but not cold. Pitch black colour, moderate head. Heavily roasty aroma and flavour, with notes of liquorice and coffee. A very robust and tasty imperial stout, but not too extreme.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

500 ml bottle, bottle conditioned. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Both aroma and flavour are dominated by roasty malts, chocolate and leather. A good beer, but a little too sweet for me.